Mail box



May 13, .1924.

1,494,181 c. R. MORRIS MAIL BOX Filed Dec. 20, 192] 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Patented May 13, 1924.

warren sraras CAPTAIN ROSS MORRIS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

MAIL BOX.

Application filed December 20, 1921. Serial No. 523,618.

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, CAPTAIN Ross Monins. a citizen of the United States, and resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamil- 1 ton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad. to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to mail boxes and has particular reference to the type of mail boxes suitable for use by the recipients of mail on rural delivery routes.

The principal object of this invention is to provide in connection with a mail box adapted for containing letters and other mail matter, an extensible mounting for said box, so that, while not occupying a position on the roadway, it may be easily accessible to the rural mail man without the necessity of his leaving his vehicle or driving the same off of the roadway for the purpose.

A further object of this invention is to provide in connection with a mail box and an extensible mounting therefor, a protective casing or housing for said box and mounting when the same are not in extended position.

Further objects of this invention will appear from the following detailed description thereof.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective of a mail box constructed in accordance with this invention, the parts being folded.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the invention extended.

Figure 3 is a perspective of the rear portion of the mail box showing the connection between the box and the extensible mounting.

Figure 4 is a perspective of the lazy tongs bearings.

Figure 5 is a detailed view of the bearings.

Figure 6 is a view of a modification.

Figure 7 is a perspective of the operating rod and hook.

The numeral 1 indicates a casing or housing adapted to be secured to a post 2 located just outside the right-of-way. The housing is preferably mounted at an angle, as clearly shown in Figure 2, for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. The front portion of the housing 1 is open. Arranged to be secured to the inside of the rear wall 3 of the housing by means of lazy tongs 4:, is a mail box 5 having a. lid 6 for the insertion and removal of mail matter. The respective ends of the lazy tongs are operatively secured to the housing 1 and box 5 by means of sleeves 7, to the lower ends of which levers 8 of the tongs are pivotally secured, and rods 9 adapted to fit telescopically in the sleeves 7, the levers 10 of the tongs being pivotally secured to upper ends of said rods. The sleeves 7 and rods 9 are preferably of some other shape than cylindrical, for instance square as shown in the drawings, so that the rods are not permitted to rotate in the sleeves, the latter being, of course, rigid- 1y secured respectively to the housing and box 5. Each of the levers of the lazy tongs has extended hub sections 11, adapted to receive pins 12 by means of which the levers are pivotally secured together, said extended hubs providing long bearings for the connections and thus rigidifying the construction and preventing side sway of the tongs when extended. The front portion of the box 5 is provided with a loop or bail 13 for the purpose hereinafter mentioned.

In Figure 6, I have illustrated a modified form of the device, wherein the box 5 is mounted on a rigid arm 14:, the latter being mounted on a bracket 15, which is secured to the post 2, by means of hinges 16, the pintle of the lower hinge being farther from the post than that of the upper as shown.

For the operation of the device the mail man carries a rod 17 provided with a hook 18, which is adapted to be inserted in the bail 13.

The nature and utility of the device will be apparent from the foregoing description thereof. By reason of the extensible mounting, the device may be secured to a post outside of the right-of-way and yet be fully accessible to the mail man who carries with him a rod 17 having a hook 18 at its end without necessitating his either leaving his vehicle or driving off of the roadway. To deliver mail matter he draws the box to him and inserts the same therein. Having done this, he merely releases the box, which by reason of the angular mounting, in the case of either form of the device, is returned by gravity to its position outside the roadway. The housing 1, as will be seen, provides an appropriate shelter for the lazy tongs form of connection, as Well as for the mail box itself, and such housing may be made of ornamental. and attractive appearance Where desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.111 combination With to receive mail matter, lazy tongs, one end of said tongs being secured to said box by means of non-rotatable telescopic members, the other end of said tongs being provided with non-rotatable telescopic members arranged to be secured to a fixed support.

2. In combination with a box adapted to receive mail matter, lazy tongs, one end of said tongs being secured to said box by means of n0n-rotatable telescoping members,

a box adapted ble telescoping members, a housing adapted to enclose said box and said tongs, the other end of said tongs being secured to the inside of said housing by means of non-rotatable telescoping members.

CAPTAIN ROSS MORRIS. 

